Yellow Vest protesters mark 15th weekend of RAGE against Macron with FIVE Paris protests
YELLOW Vest protesters swarmed the streets of Paris for the 15th consecutive weekend for another two days of mayhem, raising speculation anger against French President Emmanuel Macron shows no sign of stopping.
By CARLY READ
Express.co.uk
Sat, Feb 23, 2019
Demonstrators took to the Capital’s streets re-energising supporters during five separate protests against the young French President’s government. Hundreds gathered at landmarks such as the Arc de Triomphe, a monument that made headlines during the first week of violent protests last November when a supporter scrawled ‘MACRON’ on it in thick black paint as part of a wave of vandalism that cost the French economy millions of euros. Today, though support wanted in recent weeks after the movement’s shocking level of violence saw more than 10 citizens killed in car crashes and fires started in buildings, thousands took part provided protests were deemed peaceful. Though chaos erupted on the streets regardless, with access to roads typically used by French emergency services blocked in the mass revolt.
Colourful flares were set off and riot police were out again in full force detaining one man at the side of a street in shocking images.
The latest protest come as Mr Macron attempted to calm the fury of protesters in a speech that saw him vow to protect European farming standards and culinary traditions threatened by aggressive foreign trade policies.
In his speech he said he wanted to curb such EU trade practices that saw food a “product like any other”.
Instead he proposed using blockchain technology to trace where the source of the food came from in the hope to put Europe in the “avant-garde of agricultural technology”.
He was pictured at the speech stroking Joker the cow.
Protests began last autumn after Mr Macron announced his 23 percent hike for fuel, sparking nationwide rage.
After citizens died in the extremely violent protests, that saw cars gutted by arson as well as restaurants and cafes in he once-charming city, he appealed to the public in a TV message, announcing huge sweeteners such as more benefits for the elderly that would see France’s fiscal budget spiral out of control.
Regardless, the protests continued and even spilled into other EU nations such as the Netherlands, Spain and Belgium as well as Britain, with protesters blocking streets in London’s Piccadilly Circus last weekend.
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